COVID-19: Benefits expanded but applications jammed

AZ says unemployment calls coming 70 per second

NAVIGATING UNEMPLOYMENT CAN BECHALLENGING -- ESPECIALLY WITHTHE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OFCALLS -- THE DEPARTMENT ISGETTING EVERY DAY.

9 ON YOURSIDE'S CRAIG SMITH -- BREAKSDOWN THOSE ISSUES.COVID PRECAUTIONS MEAN YOUSHOULD APPLY AT THE ARIZONADES WEBSITE OR ON THE PHONE.

AWOMAN NAMED CLAUDIA WROTEKGUN9 SHE'S HAVING A TERRIBLETIME UPDATING HER UNEMPLOYMENTCLAIM.

SHE SAYS, "THEY PLACEYOU ON HOLD FOR HOURS AND THENTHEY JUST HANG UP IN YOU.

I'MDESPERATE FOR THE HELP AND IHAVE NO ANSWER." DEPARTMENT OFECONOMIC SECURITY DIRECTOR TOMBETLACH JOINED GOVERNORDUCEY'S LATEST BRIEFING.

HESAYS THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTSIS WORSE THAN THE PEAK OF THEGREAT RECESSION, AND THE 129THOUSAND ARIZONANS WHO APPLIEDLAST WEEK IS ROUGHLY 43 TIMESTHE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS INA MORE TYPICAL WEEK.

14:25:15"WE'VE INCREASED OUR STAFFINGTO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THECALLS, WE RECOGNIZE IS STILLCHALLENGING FOR INDIVIDUALS TOGET THROUGH.

WE HAVE SEEN THEDEMAND JUST SURGE TO ATCERTAIN POINTS IN TIME, 70CALLS PER SECOND COMING INTOTHE STATE LINES, 14:25:28 RUNS:13 THE STATE HAS WAIVED THEUSUAL ONE WEEK WAITING PERIODFOR BENEFITS.

FEDERAL HELP ISINCREASING THE MONEY ANDCOVERING CONTRACT AND GIGWORKERS.

14:24:41 THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED INCREASEPAYMENTS OF $600 PER WEEK ONTOP OF THE STATE'S $240, ITCREATED A NEW PROGRAM FORINDIVIDUALS THAT AREINDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS.

THESEINDIVIDUALS MAY NOT BE TIEDSPECIFICALLY TO THE EMPLOYERBUT IT CREATES THIS NEWPROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE THISGROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHOPREVIOUSLY DID NOT HAVE ACCESSTO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, ANDIT ALSO EXTENDED THE BENEFITSBY AN ADDITIONAL 13 WEEKS.14:25:06 :25 JAM UPS ARE STILLDELAYING CHECKS BUT THE DESDIRECTOR SAYS IF YOU APPLIED,AND ARE MEETING THEREQUIREMENT TO UPDATE YOURAPPLICATION EVERY WEEK, CHECKSWILL INCLUDE RETROACTIVEPAYMENTS.

CRAIG SMITH, KGUN9ON YOUR SIDEPLANT NURSERIES AROUND TUCSO